Solid 💪 2018 finalist, @sloanestephens is headed to the second round with a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Karolina Pliskova. #RolandGarros
"It's obviously been a problem my whole career": Stephens reveals FBI investigations set up amid racist abuse
WTATuesday, 30 May 2023 at 03:30
Former World No.3 Sloane Stephens recently opened up about the racial abuse she receives as an African-American tennis player, stating the FBI has gotten involved due to the serious nature.
Stephens delved into the topic following her first round victory over Karolina Pliskova at the 2023 Roland Garros tournament.
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"It's obviously been a problem my entire career,' said Stephens. 'It has never stopped. If anything, it's only gotten worse. I mean, obviously when there is FBI investigations going on with what people are saying to you online, it's very serious.
"Obviously it's been something that I have dealt with my whole career. I think that, like I said, it's only continued to get worse, and people online have the free rein to say and do whatever they want behind fake pages, which is obviously very troublesome.
"It's something I have had to deal with my whole career and something I will continue to deal with, I'm sure. That's that."
WTA legends Serena Williams and Venus Williams have also been subjected to racial abuse, as well as other black athletes in professional sports. Although Roland Garros has supplied players with AI software that targets and blocks racist comments, Stephens believes it is unlikely to stop people from sending hateful racist comments.
"I have a lot of obviously key words banned on Instagram and all of these things, but that doesn't stop someone from just typing in an asterisk or typing it in a different way, which obviously software most of the time doesn't catch," said the 2017 US Open champion.
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